Alex de Minaur's withdrawal has weakened the draw for the 2024 Japan Open in Tokyo, but 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini has entered the draw.
De Minaur's last appearance was at the US Open, where he reached the quarterfinals. That achievement was particularly impressive because of his injuries heading into the tournament.
The Australian had to withdraw from his Wimbledon quarterfinal against Novak Djokovic after sustaining a hip injury on match point against Arthur Fils in the fourth round. He was understandably devastated not to be able to compete against Djokovic.
Because of that injury, De Minaur missed the opening weeks of the North American hard-court season. That meant he had no match practice heading into the US Open, tempering expectations for him at Flushing Meadows.
His subsequent run to the first US Open quarterfinal was outstanding after the lack of preparation time he had. It included a triumph against his compatriot Jordan Thompson in the fourth round.
Jack Draper ended De Minaur's tournament in the quarterfinal. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old's chances of overcoming his British opponent were hampered by more physical issues.
The No. 1 Australian player's hip injury flared up during his battle with Draper. He completed the match, but the unfortunate recurrence of that existing injury significantly hampered his chances of overcoming the Briton.
It was unclear at the time whether it was a minor flare-up that would quickly heal or if the recurrence had been more serious. Sadly, the news is not what the US Open quarterfinalist and his fans would have wanted.
De Minaur had to withdraw from the Laver Cup because he was not fit enough to compete in the team event. The American Tommy Paul also pulled out, significantly harming Team World's chances.
Unsurprisingly, de Minaur is also not ready to compete at the Japan Open, which starts a few days later. The Japan Open is one of two ATP 500 tournaments next week, the other being the China Open in Beijing.
There is one piece of good news for the Japan Open organizers: Matteo Berrettini enters the draw in Tokyo. The Italian attracts fans due to his status as a former Wimbledon runner-up and his powerful brand of tennis.
Berrettini replaces Nuno Borges in the draw. This is disappointing news for the Portuguese player, who is also very watchable and deserves considerable respect for his impressive year.
The Italian could be dangerous in the draw since the conditions in Tokyo are usually speedy. That will make returning his formidable serve difficult, which was the basis of Ben Shelton's run to the title at the Japan Open last year.
The Tokyo tournament will try to avoid being overshadowed by the China Open, which has Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Daniil Medvedev on its entry list, almost guaranteeing a superb event.
However, the Japan Open has names like Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, and Stefanos Tsitsipas, meaning it should still be a superb tournament regardless of what happens at the China Open.
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